1. Technical Field
Systems, methods, and apparatuses consistent with exemplary embodiments relate to a micro electric liquid device and an apparatus including the micro electric liquid device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Techniques for adjusting or controlling light transmittance are widely used in conjunction with aperture stops, shutters of image obtaining apparatuses being operated, or pixels of image display apparatuses being operated.
Most variable aperture stops generally used in optical systems of the related art are operated by handling a plurality of metal blades, and thus are limited to reducing the sizes thereof using mechanical motions, frictions, and movable mechanical elements.
Electric-heating or static-electricity type micro electro mechanical systems (MEMSs) have been introduced for controlling light transmittance. However, such MEMSs have a non-circular aperture, gaps between blades, and a low aperture ratio of about 1% or less as compared to a total device area.
In addition, with the development of optofluidic technology combining micro-optics and microfluidics, variable aperture stops in which the aperture ratio is adjusted by deforming a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membrane by air pressure have been proposed. The resolutions of variable aperture stops have been improved using three-dimensional structures and capillary force. Such aperture stops have a higher aperture ratio than MEMS aperture stops of the related art, but injection pumps are used for operating such aperture stops.
In addition, an aperture stop including a liquid lens operated by dielectric force has recently been introduced, and the aperture ratio of the aperture stop may be adjusted using electric wires disposed on the bottom of the aperture stop without using an external driving pump.